Co-Teaching 101: A Beginning Presented by Janice Putman and Maureen Rauscher Improvement...

Co-Teaching 101:A Beginning

Presented byJanice Putman and Maureen Rauscher

Improvement Consultants

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Participants should be able to:

Define co-teaching and distinguish it from other concepts related to inclusive practices;

Explain the rationale for co-teaching, the benefits and pitfalls;

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Discuss how collaboration enhances co-teaching and outline strategies for developing a collaborative co-teaching relationship;

Clarify the personal, pedagogical and discipline-specific qualities and skills that co-teachers need to possess;

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Apply six approaches for co-teaching to classroom practice and outline issues that co-teachers should periodically discuss to monitor and enhance their practice.

Know how to evaluate and improve their co-teaching practices.


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Research-Based Practice

Material presented today will be based on research by:• Co-teaching Marilyn Friend

• Change Margaret

Wheatley• Interpersonal Styles Anita DeBoer• Co-planning Lisa A. Dieker

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What is co-teaching?

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Defining Co-Teaching

Co-teaching occurs when two or

more professionals jointly

deliver substantive instruction

to a diverse, or blended, group

of students in a single physical

space.

Cook and Friend, 1995

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Co-teaching is first and foremost an approach for meeting the educational needs of students with diverse learning abilities.

Cook & Friend, 1995

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Co-teaching is a service delivery option for providing special education or related services to students with disabilities or other special needs while they remain in their general education classes.

Friend & Cook

2007

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Co-teaching occurs when two or more teachers, one general educator and the other a special service provider (e.g. special education, related services, ELL, reading) share physical space in order to actively instruct a blended group of students, including students with disabilities.

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What’s the difference?

Co-teaching Class-within-a-class Collaboration Paraprofessional Assigned to

Class

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Co-teaching Vs. Other Delivery Options

Who plans the lessons? Who provides the instruction to

all students? Do both teachers interact with

all parents, or are students divided into groups (yours and mine)?

Who determines grades for all students?

Who makes adaptations and does follow up?

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Co-teaching is a service delivery system, in which:

Two (or more) professionally credentialed staff

Share instructional responsibility

For a single group of students

Primarily in a single classroom or workspace

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Co-teaching Definition (continued)

To teach required curriculum

With mutual ownership, pooled resources, and joint accountability

Although each individual’s level of participation may vary.

Marilyn Friend (2007)

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Co-teaching is not:

An extra set of hands in the classroom;

The general education teacher providing instruction as if she or he was teaching alone while the special educator roams;

Two individuals taking turns teaching;

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An individual pulling a small group of students aside to deliver instruction completely separate from that being provided to the rest of the class.

Shoring up incompetent staff.

Co-teaching is not:

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Co-teaching will not resolve

issues of incompetent staff…

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Why co-teach?

Teachers with different specialties, e.g. general and special education, can better meet the needs of a diverse population of students.

“Co-teaching should result in direct instructional and social benefits for students who have IEPs.”

Friend and Cook, 2007

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Why co-teach?

Special educators have developed a tendency to “own” students on IEPs which decreases participation of general ed teachers in collaborative problem solving

General educators have more ownership when they have background knowledge and a chance to participate in the decisions

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Pros of Co-Teaching

All children learn from each other• Typical children become more

accepting of individual differences

• Improved self-esteem for special needs students

• All students exposed to a variety of teaching styles and strategies

• Students have role models

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Pros of Co-Teaching

Provides for highly qualified teachers in the least restrictive environment

Provides a “strategies expert” for ALL students who are having difficulty

Students become active learners through frequent interaction and feedback.

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Student Benefits of Co-Teaching

Cohesive programming occurs when connections are made between students’ individual needs and the regular classroom curriculum.

Individualization of instruction increases.

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Student Benefits of Co-Teaching

Research indicates that special education students score higher on achievement tests when they are exposed to content knowledge in a regular education classroom.

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Why co-teaching? Why now?

IDEA and NCLB requirements• Gives students access to highly

qualified subject- matter teachers (HQT)

• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

• Access to general education curriculum

• Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

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Wider range of instructional alternatives for all students

Reduces fragmentation of learning

Enhances the participation of students with special needs as full classroom members


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Creates conditions in which students with disabilities and other groups can make AYP

Provides powerful support for the professionals who teach

Reduces stigma for students

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It’s not about us (the educators); it’s about them (the students).

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Think of special education as a service, not a place.

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Inclusive Schools. . .

Don’t ask, “How does this

student have to change in

order to be in this class?” But

rather, “How do we have to

change in order to offer full

membership to our students

with disabilities?”

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How can co-teaching help meet students’ needs?

Can any one teacher meet the educational, social and physical needs of all students?

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Benefits of Co-Teaching

Shared responsibility for educating all students

Shared understanding and use of common assessment data

Shared ownership for programming and interventions

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Creating common understanding

Teachers learn from each other

Collegial relationships are created along with professional development

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Resources are shared

Management strategies are more consistent with frequent feedback

Individualization of instruction is fostered with multiple views of the students


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Challenges

Must provide team planning time

High ratios of students-teachers

People’s perceptions and expectations

Speed of curriculum

Behavior

Scheduling issues

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Building Bridges

Walking across the bridge, leaving the familiar ground of working alone, is the first act of collaboration. All parties are on neutral territory, with the security of knowing they can return to land better, stronger and changed. And perhaps they will return to the same side of the bridge even though they started from opposite sides.

Steele, Bell, & George, 2005

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Points to Ponder

What has been your experience with co-teaching?

What role is co-teaching playing in your schools’ efforts to address the requirements of NCLB and IDEA?

When you think about co-teaching, what are the concerns or questions you have?

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Examples of Co-Teaching

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Co –teaching Approaches

One Teach, One Observe

Station Teaching Parallel Teaching Alternative Teaching Team Teaching One Teach, One Assist

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Take a look at co-teaching…

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One teacher teaches and the

other systematically collects

data on a student, group of

students or entire class on

behaviors the professionals

have previously agreed upon.

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One Teach

One Observe

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One Teach, One ObserveBenefits: Opportunity for observation of

students and data collection• Jointly decided specifics to observe and analyze in advance

• Both professionals should discuss the results of the observations

Deepen understanding of each other’s teaching styles

Requires little joint planning

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Drawbacks, if used to excess:

Special service provider is relegated to the role of assistant

Students do not see teachers as having equivalent responsibility and authority

Recommended Use:

Periodic (5-10%)

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Station Teaching

Students in groups of three or

more rotate to various teacher-

led and independent work

stations where new instruction,

review, and/or practice is

provided. Students may work at

all stations during the rotation

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Gro

up

1

Group 2

Gro

up

3

Teacher 2

Teacher 1

• Computer center

• Silent reading

• Project table

• Assessment table

Students move rotating to each group

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Station Teaching

Benefits: Involves both educators in

instruction Enables a clear division of labor

for planning and teaching Allows for different teaching

styles Students benefit from a lower

teacher-pupil ratio Students with disabilities are

integrated into groups, rather than singled out

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Station Teaching

Drawbacks: Noise and movement within the

classroom• Teachers or students may be distracted by two teachers talking in the classroom at the same time.

Teachers need to think about how to divide instruction. Hierarchical material cannot be presented using this approach.

Lessons must be timed so groups can move as scheduled.

Recommended Use: Frequent (30-40%)

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Parallel Teaching

Students are divided into two

heterogeneous groups. Each

partner teaches a group

essentially the same material.

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Teacher 1

Teacher 2

Both teachers teach the same content in the same room simultaneously

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Parallel Teaching

Benefits:

Lowers the teacher-student ratio, while insuring diversity in each group;

Is good for review, drill-and-practice activities, topics needing student discussion, or projects needing close teacher supervision.

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Parallel Teaching

Drawbacks: Cannot be used for initial instruction

unless both educators are qualified to teach the material (primarily at the high school level)

Noise and activity levels need to be monitored;

Teachers need to pace instruction similarly

Requires that both teachers are familiar with content and how to teach it

Recommended Use: Frequent (30-40%)

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Alternative Teaching

One teacher works with a small

group of students, while the

other instructs the large group

in some content or activity that

the small group can afford to

miss.

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Small group

Teacher 1

Whole group

Teacher 2

Pre-teaching

Reviewing

Enrichment

Special interest

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Benefits:

Provides highly intensive instruction;

Ensures that all students get to interact with a teacher in a small group;

May assist with reducing behavior problems with some students;

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Drawbacks: Students with disabilities may be

stigmatized by being grouped repeatedly for preteaching or re-teaching

Each teacher must take turns working with the small group or may be viewed as an assistant

The same students must not repeatedly selected for the small group. Documentation must be kept so all students may participate

Recommended Use: Occasional (20-30%)

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Team Teaching

Partners plan and share

instruction of all students,

whether it occurs in a large

group, in monitoring students

working independently, or in

facilitating groups of students

working on shared projects.

Marilyn Friend

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Teaming

Benefits:

Shared planning and instruction by both teachers for the large group

Allows teachers to play off one another

Can be energizing and entertaining

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Teaming

Drawbacks:

Loss of the valuable instructional technique of grouping;

May not be comfortable for new partnerships of teachers.

Recommended Use: Occasional (20-30%)

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One Teach, One Assist

One teaches while the other

supports the instructional

process by assisting students

who need redirection or who

have questions.

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Teacher 1

Teacher 2

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Benefits:

Allows for individual and classroom support during a lesson

Allows for more effective and efficient instruction while one can check student responses and carry out management tasks such as distributing materials

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Drawbacks: Has the greatest potential to be

over-used and abused, with little benefit to the students over a traditional, one-teacher classroom

May distract students from attending to the teacher during instruction

Recommended Use:

Seldom (<20%, <10% is better)

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Concerns to Expect

Special ed teacher is intimidated by the content and protective of students with IEPs

Content teacher is intimidated by wider range of students’ needs or over turf issues

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Philosophical differences between teachers

Lack of enough planning time

Questions from parents

Concerns to Expect

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Sources of Failure

Failing to distinguish clearly among the roles of the various adults who might be in the classroom---teachers, related service providers, paraprofessionals, student teachers, volunteers.

Basing co-teaching on the preferences of the staff rather than on clear standards, expectations and the needs of the students.

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Sources of Failure

Teachers lack personal prerequisites, e.g. ability to give up control.

Teachers lack pedagogical prerequisites, e.g. failure to understand the educational process and culture.

Teachers lack professional prerequisites, e.g. expertise in their discipline.

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Sources of Failure

Teachers lack a collaborative relationship

There are no specific plans for accomplishing their goals.

Lack of planning/designing instruction

Failure to implement instruction and co-teaching with fidelity

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Selecting A Co-Teaching Approach

Student characteristics and needs

Teacher characteristics and needs

Curriculum, including content and instructional strategies

Pragmatic considerations

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Co-teaching Models

Which of the 6 co-teaching models do you see yourself using within the next month?

What lesson(s) would be most effective for utilizing the selected co-teaching model?

What needs to happen prior to using this model with students?

How are you going to evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson and model?

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Periods of Change Are Not Easy. . .

Requires commitment to alter practice

No change is completely orderly

• Requires a period of “chaos” from which the new practices evolve

• Strive for “planned change”

Margaret Wheatley Leadership and the New

Science

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We can’t do what we’ve always done and expect

better results.

To improve, you must change what you are currently doing.• Get rid of some old habits• Learn some new strategies

To have all students LEARN, we must change what we do in education.

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Change is about RESULTS

Webster defines

“results” as “a

measurable success”

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If you want different results…

Start with the END GOAL• What do you

want the end results to be?

• Ask, “What steps are needed to reach our goal?”

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To get different results

Must have a shift in thinking

Must do something different

Results are about CHANGE

Definition of InsanityDoing what you’ve always done and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

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Fundamental change is. . .

Giving up some of the past which results in a new way of doing our work—a change in performance.

“If you continue to think the way you’ve always thought, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always gotten.”

Unknown

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Changes with co-teaching

As you embark on co-teaching, what changes do you anticipate that you will need to make?

What are your personal concerns?

What steps can you take to be proactive in resolving these concerns with your co-teacher(s)?

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What makes a successful team?

Individual Prerequisites:• Can work effectively with

another adult

–Sense of humor

–Willingness to set aside differences

• Set of common knowledge and skills

• Discipline-specific knowledge and skills

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Shared philosophy/core beliefs The professional relationship is

based on:• Parity• Communication• Respect• Trust

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• Co-teachers make a commitment to building and maintaining their professional relationship.


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What are some of your beliefs?

Compare ideas about management strategies. How are you alike and how are you different?• Consider items such as:

• Noise level• Movement in the classroom• Use of whiteboards and other resources

• Compare ideas on:• Assignments• Homework• Teaching methods • Teaching strategies etc.• Grading

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Common beliefs

Consider factors which will influence the co-teaching experience. Which beliefs would enhance or impede the co-teaching process?

If you and your partner differ, how are you going to work together to make co-teaching work?

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Teachers should have a voice in choosing their teaching partners;

Teachers’ ability to get along was a critical factor in co-teaching success.

Keefe, Moore & Duff Study (2004)

Co-teachers thought the following were critical:

Effective Co-

Planning

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Planning for Instruction

Teachers need shared planning time, macro and on-going.

Always have an agenda for shared planning meetings.

Realize there will never be “enough” time.

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Planning for Instruction

This is where the alignment of special, ELL and general education occurs

Make this time as focused as possible

Take turns taking the lead in planning and facilitating

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Provide Weekly Scheduled Co- Planning Time

Co-Teaching teams should have a minimum of one scheduling/planning period (45 – 60 min/week).

Experienced teams should spend 10 minutes to plan each lesson.

Dieker,2001;Walther-Thomas,Bryant,& Land 1996

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Weekly Co-Planning

Effective weekly co-planning is based on regularly scheduled meetings, rather than “fitting it in”.

Important to stay focused

Review content in advance of meeting

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Weekly Co-Planning

Guide the session with the following fundamental issues:

• What are the content goals?

• Who are the learners?

• How can we teach most effectively?

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Agenda for Planning Meetings

The general education teacher should prepare a brief overview of curricular concepts to be addressed.

The co-teachers should decide how they will address the content using co-teaching approaches.

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Agenda for Planning Meetings

Teachers should determine the challenges for students and brainstorm ideas for differentiating instruction.

The last topic on the agenda concerns individual students.

Friend and Cook, 2007

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Make a Plan

Draw 4 columns on your paper. Label each as follows:• What do we need to do?• Who will do it?• By when will it be done?• What’s the product or outcome?

With your co-teacher, begin the planning process.

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Considerations

Eliminate or change titles, e.g. both are “teachers” or use neutral language such as “generalist” and “interventionist”

Eliminate divisive language, e.g. your kids, my kids or “my room”

Get both teachers’ names on the report cards, letters home and other correspondence

Vary who gives instructions or takes the lead

Be aware of seating and grouping arrangements

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Definition of Collaboration

Collaboration is a style for

interaction between equal

parties voluntarily engaged in

shared decision making as they

work toward a common goal.

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Collaboration means. . .

Two equal participants who labor together

•Col labor ation

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Be a collaborator. . .

Believe in the benefits of co-teaching

Work together as a team

Use each other’s strengths

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Defining Characteristics

Mutual trust

Mutual respect

Establishment of a sense of community

Contributions are equally valued

Equal power in decision making

Shared responsibility, accountability, and resources

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What Song Defines Your Co-Teaching Relationship?

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What’s your next step?

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Resources

www.csd.org

www.marilynfriend.com

www.powerof2.org

http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/EffectivePractices/web_based.htm

http://www.csd.org/

http://www.marilynfriend.com/

http://www.powerof2.org/




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A thought in closing. . .

Quality is never an accident; it is

always the result of high

intention, sincere effort,

intelligent direction and skillful

execution; it represents the wise

choice of many alternatives. New York Times Ad,

1939

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Co-Teaching 101: A Beginning Presented by Janice Putman and Maureen Rauscher Improvement...

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